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Type specimens of scientific collections

Over the past five years, more than 900 type specimens have been put into the Insectarium’s scientific collections.

What is a type specimen?

A type specimen is considered a control specimen of a new species or sub-species. Using a type specimen is the best way to validate the identity of a species.

In fact, some species have been named after the Insectarium’s curator, Mr. Stéphane Le Tirant, as well as other team members and Space for Life directors, such as Ornithoptera goliath atlas f. letiranti Delisle, 2008, named after Stéphane Le Tirant, curator of collections at the Montréal Insectarium, and Xylophanes letiranti Vaglia & Haxaire, 2003, also named after Stéphane Le Tirant. The species Eupholus brossardi Limoges and Le Tirant, 2010, was named after Georges Brossard, founder of the Insectarium, and the species Xylophanes lamontagnei Vaglia & Haxaire, 2007, was named after Michel Lamontagne, former director of the Montréal Nature Muséums (Space for Life). Finally, the species Therethra clotho vincenti Vaglia & Liyous, 2010, was named after Gilles Vincent, director of the Montréal Botanical Garden.